Abuse and Domestic Violence

Your home is somewhere that you should feel safe and looked after. Nobody’s family is perfect and arguments happen. There are times when things go too far and young people get hurt either physically or emotionally or aren’t looked after properly.

Abuse and domestic violence happens in all kinds of families from all kinds of backgrounds. If you are worried, you’re not alone – read on to find out more and for helplines you can call where someone who understands will listen and be able to advise you on what to do next.

Abuse

Young people may be hurt by an adult or another young person in several ways.

Abuse can be any of the following:

Physical AbuseThis includes being beaten, kicked or punched.

Sexual Abuse
This includes being touched in a way you don’t like, being forced to have sex, made to look at sexual pictures or videos, or anything else that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Emotional Abuse
This includes constant name-calling, being threatened, being made fun of or made to feel small, and often seeing violence between the people who care for you.

NeglectThis is when you don’t have somewhere to stay, enough food to eat, clothes to keep you warm, or if you are not looked after properly.

Abuse can make you feel all kind of emotions – unloved, afraid, angry, ashamed, guilty, small or unimportant. It can be especially confusing if the person who is hurting you is someone you trusted or looked up to.

Nobody has the right to make you feel like this. If you are worried and not sure if it’s abuse or not, it’s important you talk to someone you trust. You need to remember that you’re not alone. and you can always speak to ChildLine on 0800 1111, it’s free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is aggression or violence that happens in the home when a grown up attacks or threatens another adult in the family. Domestic violence can happen in any family and in all kinds of homes. You might have seen someone being hurt, heard it, or you may have been hurt too.

You’re not alone. More than half a million incidents of domestic violence are reported in England and Wales each year. Most victims are women, but domestic violence can happen to men too. Almost 2,000 children a year contact ChildLine due to domestic violence problems.

If you or someone else is being hurt in your house, here’s what you can do:

Talk to someone you like and trust such as a teacher, friend or social worker (if you have one). They can listen to your problem and talk about what to do next

Keep yourself safe. Find a safe place, like your bedroom, to hide until the violence is over

Only help whoever is being hurt if it means you won’t place yourself at risk

Call ChildLine on 0800 1111 – it’s free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill

Who can help?

If you feel scared or in danger call ChildLine at any time on 0800 1111 – it’s free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill. You can also visit their website at www.childline.org.uk.

The Hideout website to support children and young people living with domestic violence, or to those who may want to help a friend. The site informs children and young people about domestic violence and helps them identify whether it is happening in their home. www.thehideout.org.uk

Broken Rainbow is a UK wide confidential helpline service for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of all ages who experience domestic violence. To find out more visit http://www.broken-rainbow.org.uk/.

You can call the National 24 Hour Freephone Domestic Violence helpline on 0808 200 247.

Speak to someone in your family you can trust, a close friend or the police if you feel you are in danger.